Chapter 2 Tired Of Trying

• Emmett let out a scream as he rolled out of someone's embrace onto the hard pavement. He sat up as his mind tried to process what had happened, his heart heavy with emotions. His chest heaved as he fought back his tears. His heartbeat was drumming hard in his ears, but he could faintly hear the crowd cheering.
• He felt himself being covered in a jacket, and he felt himself being lifted up. He felt someone's firm grip on his arm as he was pulled along.
• Emmett was still fazed from the switch of events as he walked on. His mind focused on his beating heart. He was still alive. Did someone pull him off the guardrail? Who did? He looked up and his eyes fell on the back of a head with thin black hair which was partially grey. He stopped walking.
• The person stopped walking too and turned to look at Emmet.
• Emmett frowned a little. He was an elderly man. Was this the one who pulled him off the guardrail? And where was he taking him? He pulled his arm away.
• The elderly man frowned too.
• Emmett had a thousand questions, but his brain couldn't settle on any at that moment.
• The elderly man squinted his eyes at him as he tried to decipher what Emmett could be thinking. “Come with me,” he said soothingly.
• Emmett frowned harder. Why should he follow a stranger? What if he was an organ harvester? He didn't want to live, but he certainly didn't want to die being cheated some more.
• “If I had any ill intentions towards you, I wouldn't have pulled you off that guardrail.” The elderly man said, as if reading his mind.
• Emmett swallowed as he stared at him. Why was this man concerned, and why did he want to help him?
• The elderly man stared at him patiently.
• Emmett swallowed. Well, what was there to lose? He nodded.
• The elderly man led him to a car and helped him into the backseat. He placed Emmett's briefcase next to him.
• They rode in silence for a while. Emmett's mind was blank. A few minutes ago, he was about to jump off the bridge. And now here he was, riding in a flashy car with an elderly man. He swallowed.
• “Where to, Sir?” He heard the driver ask.
• “Home." He heard the elderly man say softly.
• Emmett turned to look at him. He looked familiar. He squinted his eyes at him as his brain tried to remember where he had seen him before. Then his eyes opened wide and his jaw dropped when he recognised who the man was. He pointed his forefinger at him as he stuttered.
• “You're Mr. John Campbell, the richest man in the city!” He exclaimed.
• The elderly man turned to look at him slowly with a slight frown on his face. “Use your indoor voice.” He said softly.
• Emmett chuckled. “I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry! I’m so excited! It's an honour to meet you, Sir!” He exclaimed and stretched out his hand for a shake
• John frowned at him harder. Is he hard of hearing? He asked himself.
• Emmett chuckled as he put his hand away. “My name is Emmett. Emmett Jackson. I'm pleased to meet your acquaintance, Sir.” He added.
• John ignored him and looked straight ahead. Why did he pick this young man up? He swallowed. At least he didn't feel the tickle in his throat anymore. Was he supposed to be there to stop this young man from killing himself? What was he going to do with him now?
• He turned to look at Emmett who was smiling at him broadly as he stared at him in amazement. He wasn't surprised by Emmett's behaviour after Emmett recognised him. He had received this reaction from countless people he had encountered. He however wondered why he felt the urge to go home with him as he looked at him. He sighed softly.
• “Let's talk when we get home.” John said softly.
• Emmett nodded hard. “Yes Sir!” He exclaimed.
• John frowned at the sound of Emmett's voice.
• “Indoor voice, sorry!” Emmett whispered and slapped his lips softly.
• John ignored him and looked straight ahead again.
• Emmett turned to look straight ahead too, the smile still on his face. He couldn't believe this was happening. A few minutes ago, he would have been dead. But now here he was, riding with Mr. John Campbell. THE Mr. John Campbell! After Mr. Campbell saved his life! And he was going to his house!
• They got to the house and Emmett stared at it with his mouth wide open as he stood in front of it. It was the biggest mansion he had ever seen.
• “Let's go,” John called out to him softly as he walked into the house.
• Emmett subconsciously obeyed as he walked in behind John. He stared at everything with his mouth wide open. He looked at the expensive furniture and then he looked up at the chandelier. He blinked and looked at the glass and gold studded staircase. He swallowed.
• John sat down on one of the chairs and looked at Emmett. “When you're done staring, you can sit on the chair in front of me.” He said softly.
• Emmett was startled and looked at him sharply. “Sorry, I …” He said and quickly sat down on the chair John offered him. His eyes fell on the centre table between them. He would have to take at least twenty steps before he could get to him. He looked up at John who stared at him calmly. He smiled. “It's an honour to be here, Sir.”
• John blinked. “Why were you trying to kill yourself?” He asked bluntly.
• Emmett's countenance suddenly changed. He felt the emptiness all over again. He chuckled and looked away as he attempted to mask the sadness. “I'm just tired of trying." He said quietly.
• “Trying, what?” John asked softly.
• “Trying to get a job so that I can take care of myself.” Emmett said and looked at the centre table between them. “I've been job hunting for two years now. It's not been going well. I have no family to rely on and I'm tired of asking my friends for a little help here and there, just so that I can eat one meal on most days. So I thought I should end it all.” Emmett explained and looked up at John.
• John sighed softly. “So you need a job.”
• “A well-paying job, yes.” Emmett said while nodding.
• “What field?” John said.
• “Marketing.” Emmett said immediately. “Marketing is my passion. I live and breathe marketing.” He added with a chuckle.
• John squinted his eyes at him. He suddenly remembered the marketing strategies that Peter presented to him earlier. He didn't like them. Maybe this was it. Maybe he was supposed to hire this young man as his Marketing Manager. “Sell your briefcase to me.” He said quietly.
• “Um …” Emmett said as he picked up his briefcase. He looked at John and smirked.
• John frowned at him slightly.
• “Have you ever wanted a carrier for as many things as you need to take with you, but you don't want to hold something large? Well, do I have an option for you.” Emmett said.
• John frowned harder.
• “This briefcase can take a number of items with a maximum weight of fifty pounds.” Emmett said, opened the briefcase and picked out his documents. He laid them on the table.
• John squinted his eyes at him.
• “With this much height and depth, you can put anything in it and move around like a boss.” Emmet said with a smile as he pointed out the space. the briefcase had. “For only a thousand dollars.” He added with another smile.
• John sighed softly. “I'll give you nine hundred dollars.”
• “A thousand dollars and I'll give you a shade in black, just like your lovely hair. And I'll also throw in a souvenir.” Emmett negotiated.
• John smiled briefly. “Fine, I'll take it.” He said softly.
• Emmet smiled broadly.
• John reached into his pocket and brought out some money. He counted a thousand dollars and stretched his hand at Emmett.
• Emmett's jaw dropped as he stared at him. He subconsciously walked over with the briefcase and exchanged it for the money.
• “And my souvenir?” John asked him.
• Emmett stuttered. “Oh, um …” he said as he looked through the briefcase for his gold pen. “This …” he said quietly as he pointed it out to John
• John squinted his eyes as he looked at it. He looked up at Emmett. “Looks like something of sentimental value.”
• Emmett chuckled nervously. “My dad's lucky pen.” He said quietly.
• “I don't want your dad walking in here to beat me up for it. Have you seen me? I can't throw a punch.” John joked.
• Emmett chuckled nervously again. “My dad was a peaceful man. And I doubt his ghost is going to haunt you for this pen.”
• John swallowed. “Why are you giving it away?”
• Emmett nodded with a sad smile. “It hasn't served its purpose in the past two years. I think it has run out of luck. There's no point in keeping it when someone else could write with it.”
• John shut the briefcase and put it by his side on the floor. He gestured at the chair next to him. “Sit.”
• Emmett obeyed and sat next to him.
• He looked at Emmett. There it was again: that tickle in his throat. “I'll give you a job, Emmett Jackson.” John said softly.
• Emmett smiled broadly. “Thank you so much, Mr. Campbell!” He exclaimed.
• John frowned slightly. “Emmett, you didn't scream at me when you sat some feet away from me. Why scream into my face now?” He asked softly.
• “I’m so sorry, Mr. Campbell.” Emmett said softly with the smile still on his face.
• John sighed softly as he stared at him. “How would you like to be CEO of my company for a week?”
• Emmett's jaw dropped as he stared at him with wide eyes.